All of my best travel tips in one spot! Let’s take a look at my favorite year-round travel must-haves, seasonal UK packing lists, and the tools I rely on to book all of my travel in the UK and beyond.
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Travel Gear
My favorite travel gear for the UK and beyond:
Seasonal UK packing lists
Bring just what you need to cope with UK weather and be ready to make the most of your trip!
Travel Planning
This is how I plan trips to and around the UK:
✈️ Flights to the UK
I use Skyscanner to find the best routes and prices for my trips back home or when I’m helping friends plan their trips to the UK. Set a price alert for your dates to ensure you get the best rate for your flight!
🚊Train travel in the UK
Trainline is my absolute go-to, whether I’m booking for a day trip into London or checking timetables to cross the country. Digital tickets are available for most trips.
🚘 Rental cars in the UK
I recommend and use Discover Cars to find the best rates and convenient pick up points for rental cars in the UK. They also offer competitive rates on rental insurance in case driving on the left gets the better of you.
🚶🏻♀️Guided tours in the UK
GetYourGuide and Viator are both really helpful for gathering guided tour options for your location. I’ve used them to find tours in London, Edinburgh, and across Europe. Be sure to check reviews carefully to make sure the tour you select will match your interests and your energy level.
🏨 Places to stay in the UK
Booking.com makes it easy to find well-reviewed stays across the UK, Europe, and beyond. I’ve used them to book hotels and family apartments and have never had a bad experience. As with any lodging booking, look for places that have good reviews and aren’t brand new on the site to avoid disappointment.
Find my favorite spots to stay in London here!
🚑 Travel insurance in the UK
Medical treatment through the NHS is only free for residents of the UK. Rather than leaving your health up to chance, purchase travel insurance that will protect you through the unexpected. SafetyWing is my preferred provider – they cover travelers and digital nomads in the UK and around the world. Pricing is based on the length of your trip, and policies include up to two young children for free.
💰 Travel money in the UK
The Wise Travel Card is so incredibly handy. I use a Wise account to stash my travel savings, and then use the travel card via Apple Pay to seamlessly pay in local currency. I also have a physical card to use for cash withdrawals at ATMs. I’ve been using Wise since we moved for the best conversion rates between US dollars and UK pounds, so I trust that I’m not losing out to the extortionate fees you can find in many currency exchange locations.
📱 Phone data in the UK
If you want to use your phone data while visiting, the easiest and cheapest solution is to purchase an e-sim for your trip. It’s easy to top these up as you go, and coverage is also available for countries across Europe.
🧳 Luggage storage in the UK
Radical Storage is a life saver when you need a convenient spot to leave your luggage for a few hours. I’ve used this service in London several times when I didn’t want to cross town back to a hotel just to retrieve my bags before heading to the train or airport.